If Indianapolis Colts fans ever want to ask general manager Chris Ballard what he is thinking, the time is likely right now. Months after trading starting linebacker Zaire Franklin to the Green Bay Packers for defensive lineman Colby Wooden, Ballard reportedly will make the lineman part of the roster cuts.
The question many might ask is "why?" The answer those people will get should be, "Because Ballard."
The move, which was reported by NFL insider Ian Rapoport makes zero sense at first glance. Wooden wasn't extremely productive for Green Bay, but he had received rave reviews after joining Indy. The hope was that he would be a terrific fit in defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo's scheme, and that appeared to be unfolding as camp went on.
Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard makes the strange move of letting Colby Wooden go
Wooden had seen plenty of time in the preseason, which might have been a sign that Indianapolis wasn't completely happy with him, as presumed starters or immediate backups often don't see a lot of reps in preseason games, and after a poor game against the Atlanta Falcons, he was much better in the last two games.
In essence, after releasing Wooden, the Colts gave Zaire Franklin to Green Bay for literally nothing. The only player or draft pick Indy got back in the move was Wooden, and once roster cuts are finalized, he is gone. Almost certainly, he won't clear waivers, and another team will pick him up.
One brutal conclusion would be if he ended up back with the Packers, as that would mean the Indianapolis Colts gave up Franklin and then let Green Bay keep the player Indy should have kept in return. Chris Ballard often makes odd decisions, but this one is near the top.
The purpose of trading Franklin was to revamp the inside linebacker group that had underperformed for several years. The team did just that, but the off-ball linebackers entering the 2026 season are an unproven bunch that hasn't had a good training camp. Franklin needed to go, but Ballard's plan to replace him has failed in terms of real answers.
Colby Wooden, of course, was simply supposed to be a quality backup to DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart, but after releasing Wooden, Chris Ballard has made the group worse. He has made the linebackers and defensive line worse since March, and he appears to keep doing so.
Maybe Chris Ballard simply wants to have 2026 be his final season with the Indianapolis Colts and is making every move to ensure that happens. That is as logical a reason for releasing Colby Wooden as anything else.
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